I haven’t posted in a week, which is a new low for me. That in itself is weird, but what’s stranger is that my desire to write, to see my thoughts organized and reflected back to me on the monitor, has disappeared.

B&C and her parents and I saw Billy Crystal in 700 Sundays this week. (Short review: It was wonderful. He’s extraordinarily talented. He made three gratuitous anti-Bush jokes, one of which was almost verbatim what this anonymous commenter said in a different thread.) I thought for sure that I would write a detailed review and, of course, analyze the performance from the crazy-right-wing perspective that our readers expect from me. But I didn’t even feel like writing the first sentence.

When we opened the Coffeehouse in October 2004 I was mostly motivated by wanting a safe setting in which to vent conservative opinion, given that we live in a very blue state. To me at least, the act of articulating my opinion and clicking “Publish” was very therapeutic. The rest of the world may have been going to hell, but at least we would document the trip accurately, even if the rest of the media didn’t seem to notice. It felt good, especially when we developed a few loyal commenters (of whom Irina was first!) who let us know that we weren’t entirely alone.

Back then I felt the motivation (really the pressure) to post very acutely. We had multiple posts on most days, and like any good addiction, my anxiety would slowly climb until I posted my next fix.

Along the way, I experienced some wonderful side effects. I developed email friendships with Treppenwitz, Og, Stacey, and Mirty, and actually met Pearl and Psychotoddler. Besides sharing friendly banter (which in itself can be very important) they’ve given me tons of practical advice about an Avogadro’s number of subjects. I’m still amazed that I would have never known them were it not for the web.

But in the last month or so, I haven’t felt the drive to post; I’ve only felt the obligation. I don’t understand what’s changed. I read something that typically would make me immediately sign into Blogger, but now I just can’t be bothered to. Maybe it’s that other diversions are becoming more important; maybe it’s that I think that we’ve created a good blog that has plateaued and won’t get much better; maybe it’s that I understand that there are lots of more articulate conservative voices out there and the world doesn’t depend on mine; maybe I’m just getting over a cold and am tired and irritable.

Anyway, I’m certainly not closing down shop (it’s not my shop) or saying goodbye or anything like that. I think I’ll just step away for a couple of weeks and see if my muse returns. The other Coffeehousers are still here and will keep posting as frequently or infrequently as they’d like. I just thought it was fair to let you know rather than take a leave of absense without warning.

Doctor Bean, what is it lately with people in blogland? Burnout, winter blahs, boredom? I see you are not the only one who is feeling "it" -- and I sincerely hope in your case that "it" too shall pass.

Enjoy the hiatus. Are you going to make a movie, now that your series role is on holiday? (you know that's the trend in your neck of the woods...)

In the meantime, get some rest, have some family and fun time, and collect some of the "little Bean" stories for future use.

Irina: God for you. Visiting Israel is much more important than hanging out here in the unholy land.

Wanderer: It’s a great addiction though. Ain’t it?

Anonymous: That’s highly unlikely, but not impossible. The question is, did you hear that from Billy Crystal, or is that line just circulating in the anti-war crowd and both of you picked it up independently.

By the way, if you are, in fact, Billy Crystal, you’ll note the nice things I said about you. Do you need a doctor? :)